The present invention relates to a solar panel and a method for manufacturing the same.
A known solar panel is disclosed in Toyota Motor Corporation website “toyota.jp PRIUS|FUNCTION/MECHANISM|BODY” <URL: http://toyota.jp/prius/003_p_007/dynamism/body/index.html>. As shown in FIG. 14 of the present application, it is known that such a solar panel, which is illustrated as a solar panel 82, is used in a roof 81 of a vehicle 80. As shown in FIG. 15, the solar panel 82 is composed of a protection plate 90, a plurality of solar battery cells 91, an encapsulant 92 and a film 93. The protection plate 90 is formed from inorganic glass having translucency from a front surface 90a that serves as a design surface to a back surface 90b. The respective solar battery cells 91 adopt crystalline silicon and are formed into flat plate shapes. The encapsulant 92 is integrally provided on the back surface 90b of the protection plate 90. The encapsulant 92 fixes the respective solar battery cells 91 to the back surface 90b of the protection plate 90 in sealed state. The film 93 is provided on a back surface of the encapsulant 92.
The solar panel 82 forms a solar ventilation system in the vehicle 80. Thus, the solar panel 82 can supply, among other purposes, electric power for ventilating a vehicle interior while the vehicle 80 is parked, for example, in the summer season.
The solar panel 82 is manufactured substantially as follows. First, inorganic glass in a flat plate shape is prepared. Subsequently, the inorganic glass is heated to be bent into the protection plate 90. In the protection plate 90, the front surface 90a serves as the design surface along the roof 81. Subsequently, an encapsulant 92a is disposed on the back surface 90b of the protection plate 90, the respective solar battery cells 91 are disposed next, and an encapsulant 92b is disposed on the back surfaces of the respective solar battery cells 91. In this manner, the encapsulant 92 is provided on the back surface 90b of the protection plate 90. Thereafter, the film 93 is provided on the back surface of the encapsulant 92b, and thereafter, the encapsulants 92a and 92b are brought into close contact with each other. Thus, the respective solar battery cells 91 are fixed to the back surface 90b in sealed state by the encapsulant 92.
However, in the conventional solar panels as described above, the protection plate 90 in the above solar panels may be difficult to form in the manufacturing process.
The present invention has been made in the light of the conventional circumstances described above, and an object thereof is to provide a solar panel capable of exhibiting excellent aesthetics and power generation efficiency, and capable of easily forming in a manufacturing process.